Damen-Kamera
The Damen-Kamera is an unusual and elegant folding camera for 6×9 cm plates (or perhaps 6.5×9 cm[1]), made by Certo in Dresden in about 1906.[2] Certo had started as a small camera workshop, but had expanded in new premises; this camera was one of the first to be made with the Certo name.[2]
The camera body folds up in the form of a small handbag, in the shape of a lyre, and covered with alligator leather. When unfolded, it has a pale green leather bellows and bright nickel-plated metalwork.
The lens is not identified on the examples shown on the Web. It appears to be perhaps an f/8 (the aperture scale markings are between 8 and 128, suggesting that these are not f-stops but another aperture system).[3]
The camera has front rise and shift. It has a brilliant finder; presumably it would also be supplied with a ground glass focusing screen.
Notes
- ↑ Damen-Kamera, without the lens and shutter, sold at auction in March 2003 by Christie's in London. The listing gives the plate size as 6.5×9 cm.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Michael Sorms, [ http://www.dresdner-kameras.de/firmengeschichte/firmen/body_firmen.html#Certo Certo history] at Dresdner-Kameras.
- ↑ Damen-Kamera sold at auction in May 2005 by [Westlicht Photographica Auction in Vienna.
Links
- Damen-Kamera (in a selection of objects - the camera is at the bottom of the page), at Technische Sammlungen Dresden. The lens and shutter on this example are missing; a lens without shutter has been put in their place.
